Daily Devotional for Saturday July 12, 2003

The enemy is never far away

( 1 Peter 5:8 )

The enemy is never far away. For many years, I lived in downtown Chicago. You do not have to spend much time in downtown Chicago before you see the Chicago Streets and Sanitation Departments big blue tow trucks. These are not your normal tow trucks. They are about three times the size of a standard tow truck and bright blue. One afternoon I was sitting on a bench near City Hall and I was watching this one particular tow truck, slowly creeping up the street. Very slowly. The driver was carefully looking at each parked car to make sure they were parked at a meter and there was money in the meter. I watched as the truck slowly went up one block, then back down the next block. Then all of the sudden, the yellow lights went on, the truck went into action, and within a few minutes, had attached an illegally parked car to its hook and was off to the pound. Now, as interesting as this story may be, you are probably wondering what this has to do with the Lord or anything spiritual.

That tow truck represents the enemy, walking about seeking who he might destroy. The parked cars represent each of us. You see, when your spiritual meter is full and you are properly parked, then the enemy has no control over your life. The enemy is interested in finding those who are adrift, away from God. He looks for those who are weak. That is why day after day I encourage you to start the day in prayer and reading the Word. That is the spiritual food you need to be strong for the day. That is the equivalent of putting money into your spiritual meter. What you do during the day, the places you go, the activities you are involved in, are the equivalent to being properly parked. Remember, when we are illegally parked, in places we shouldn't be, we become an easy target for the enemy.

The point of this Devotional today is to keep you aware that there is a very real enemy out there whose goal is to kill, steal, and destroy.....YOU!!! If you think back on your life, or possibly where you are right now, you can probably trace a lot of the attacks to not being where you need to be with the Lord. Just like those cars illegally parked, or cars at expired meters, you become an easy target when we are living life our way, and not God's way.

I love you, and care about you so much. I try daily to do my best to warn you of the dangers that exist in this life and how you can avoid many of them. Remember, it is critical to be in close DAILY contact with the Lord through prayer and the Bible. The enemy is out there, lurking. Like those big blue tow trucks of Chicago, the enemy is never far away. He is always on the lookout for an easy target. God has given you the tools to avoid being that easy target. Use them and the enemy will not be able to touch you!!!

In His love and service, Your friend and brother in Christ, Bill Keller